Tag: killer policeman

A young man, who was identified as a labourer, was Wednesday evening killed by a group of policemen, who chased and shot him in the head at close range.

Sources within Peace Avenue, off Iwofe Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, said the deceased was chased by the police from a place known as Calabar Quarters where Indian hemp was sold to willing buyers.

It was also gathered that the trigger-happy policemen had recovered an unidentified sum of money and some wraps of weeds (Indian hemp) from the deceased after he was shot.

One of the residents of the area, who identified himself as Jones, told our correspondent that they were jolted by the sound of a gunshot and the cry of a woman from Akwa Ibom State.

It was learnt that the woman, who raised an alarm in her language drew people’s attention that a person had been killed.

An eyewitness, who identified himself as Ikechi, told Southern City News that both the policemen and the man that was killed were always patronising an Indian hemp seller, who came into Calabar Quarters several years ago.

“The man that sells Indian hemp is living within this place, not far from here; he is a Rastafarian. The policemen that killed the man once served in this area. They also smoke Indian hemp when they come once in a while.

“Apart from that, they also get something (money) from him; it is either they (policemen) park their vehicle this side or the other side (pointing at two sides of the road). When the buyers see them, they are always on the run.

“Any person that is caught has to bail himself immediately. It was when they saw this one (deceased) that he began to run. They (policemen) have served in Rumukpakani (Police Station) before. They said the man that was killed was into block moulding. This is jungle justice.

“The man was not living around this area and that was why he could not escape; how can anybody think that he can escape through this place? The other ones knew how to escape and jumped into the bush,” Ikechi said.

On why residents kept mute over the development, Ikechi explained that though the people had complained on several occasions, the police did not show any concern.

He said, “We have raised the alarm, but the police are nonchalant over the matter. When SARS men come here, they go to his (Rastafarian) residence and come out. So, what kind of alarm do you want us to raise again? The police ought to have arrested the man selling the Indian hemp.”

Another source, who preferred not to be mentioned, explained that the policemen sped off immediately they shot the man.

“I saw when the policemen came. The next thing that we heard was a gunshot. The policemen immediately entered their vehicle and sped off. One Akwa Ibom woman began to shout that they (policemen) have killed a person.

“I immediately came down from where I was staying and saw the young man’s corpse. I was told he was into moulding blocks on Ada George road, but I don’t know him.”

It was, however, gathered that the corpse of the deceased was later taken to Rumukpakani Police Station along Ada George Road.

However, our correspondent, who visited the shanties located inside Calabar Quarters, observed the presence of teenagers and youths still in their 20s smoking Indian hemp at the front of the Rastafarian’s residence.

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed that a young man was killed within Calabar Quarters, but added that those responsible for the death of the man were still unknown.

“I am aware of the incident, but the problem is that we have not been able to verify those that killed the man; that is why we doubt if they are policemen. We have called the DPO of the station that was mentioned and he said that he never instructed any of his men to go to that area (Calabar Quarters).

“So, we are still trying to know those who carried out that operation because those who did it are not known to us,” Omoni said.

When asked why police had yet to arrest the Rastafarian selling Indian hemp within Calabar Quarters, the state police spokesman added, “At this point, it (allegation) is still speculative.

“As far as we are concerned, any person that has a complaint can access any police station or even here (State Police Command) so that we can handle the matter.”

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A human rights organisation, Know Your Rights Initiative, has demanded the prosecution of a policeman attached to the Isheri Osun Police Division, Lagos, for allegedly killing a graduate, Jude Okoronta.

The group decried the arrest and arraignment of some youths who were accused of damaging the property of a hotel in Ijegun, Ikotun, where the victim was allegedly shot dead by the cop.

The NGO, in a petition to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, alleged that the residents were arrested while in a meeting with the Area M Commander over the killing.

PUNCH Metro had reported that 28-year-old Okoronta was shot dead in front of Ileviaoje Hotel by the cop, who was guarding the hotel.

Our correspondent had reported that the victim was waiting for a motorcycle to take him home when he was killed by the cop.

The Area M Commander, identified only as ACP Akika, allegedly had a meeting with some aggrieved youths over the killing.

The meeting was on when some policemen reportedly swooped on the residents and arrested them.

Know Your Rights, in its petition, alleged that the youths were taken to the Idimu Police Station, adding that while some of them granted bail, others were arraigned before a chief magistrate’s court on charges of stealing, conspiracy and destruction of property.

The petition read in part, “Sir, Know Your Rights is writing this letter with a heavy heart, sadness of mind, but sincerity of purpose. We wish to express our displeasure over the illegal activities of so called men of the Nigeria Police Force.

“Know Your Rights is calling on your good offices to urgently look into the charge sheet No MM/E/133/2018 where some innocent citizens have been charged to court on trumped-up charges of stealing and vandalising of property valued at N17, 439,000.

“Sir, with due respect and regards to your noble office, Know Your Rights is of the opinion that the criminal matter filed by the Area M Command has no prima facie. We, therefore, humbly urge you to carry out an in-depth investigation into the above matter.

“Sir, Know Your Rights is also appealing to your office to grant a no case submission to the six accused for justice, fairness and equity to prevail on this matter.”

The group, which called for the arrest and prosecution of the killer policeman, also demanded the “immediate removal” of the Divisional Police Officer of Isheri Osun Police Division and the Area M Commander.

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The policeman, residing at 11, Joseph Mkpa Street in Ikot-Ansa community in the Calabar Municipal Local Government Area of Cross River State, was said to have brought out his gun when another female neighbour asked why he was always coming back home drunk.

The victim was reportedly shot at the neck on a close range at about 8.30pm on Sunday.

Southern City News learnt on Tuesday that Nkanu, who is from Abi Local Government Area of the state, allegedly got back home drunk from a party, with a locally-made pistol in his pocket.

When Southern City News visited the compound on Tuesday, the deceased mother, popularly called Mma, was seen crying and calling her daughter’s name.

An eyewitness, Elizabeth Bassey, said, “At about 8.30pm on Sunday, my late cousin (Victoria) and I were outside the compound. We had just come back from an outing; I went into the house to change my clothes while she stayed outside responding to some messages on her phone. Our mum, Mma, was also there.

“By the time I came out, she was still outside fiddling with her phone. Just about then, the policeman came back from his outing. Our mum asked him what he brought from his outing, he told her he did not come home with anything.

“He left Mma and came to the passage where I was standing, I asked him why he always got drunk anytime he went out. Immediately, he turned and brought out a pistol from his pocket cocked it and pointed it at me saying, this is what I brought from the party.

“I got scared and ran away, but he turned the gun to the direction of my late cousin, who was busy with her phone and did not know what we were discussing and shot her at her neck.”

An elder sister to the deceased, Ekanem Ekpe, said her sister was killed in front of her six-year-old daughter, Blessing, who drew her attention to the death of her mother.

“I saw him with a gun and I said, “Nkanu, what happened, you have killed my sister, he was just staring at the gun and at my sister, all he said was I don’t know what happened. It was at that point that I held him and started shouting. People came out and managed to collect the gun from him,” she lamented.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Irene Ugbo (DSP), confirmed the incident, adding that the culprit would face dismissal after which he would be prosecuted in the court.

“The Policeman has been arrested, he is in our custody and we are going to try him. The gun that he used to shoot the deceased is not a police gun; it is a locally-made pistol. So, he is going to tell us where he got that gun from and who ordered him to shot an innocent woman.

“There was no quarrel between them as we were told. We are going to prosecute him for murder after his dismissal,” he said.

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The Adamawa State Police Command on Thursday confirmed the arrest of a policeman who was alleged to have killed seven farmers in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the arrest followed a petition by a non-governmental organisation, Progressive Mind for Development Initiate.

The petition signed by the President of the organisation, Abubakar Abdulsalam, alleged that the officer, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, committed the offence on November 23, 2017.

It stated that the policeman, while in charge of a Safer Highways patrol team, arrested the farmers who were working on their farms on the outskirts of Gombi town, tied and shot them to death.

The petition further alleged that the same officer had, on April 30, 2016, while in charge of a police outpost in Kem village, in the Shelleng Local Government Area of the state, killed four people suspected of committing robbery.

“If such act is not checked, it will continue to spread and eventually Nigeria will be unsafe for its citizens,” the petition added.

Spokesman for the command, Othman Abubakar, said the policeman had been arrested and detained as investigation continued into the case.

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A farmer in Ubulu Uku community, Delta State, Ijeh Chukwuedo, is recuperating at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, after undergoing a surgery to remove bullets allegedly lodged in his stomach and thigh.

The 23-year-old was reportedly returning home from his farm on Sunday when a drunken policeman, identified simply as Sergeant Emeka, gunned him down along Ubulu-Issele-Uku Road.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Emeka and two other policemen had wanted to pick up Chukwuedo over N15,000 wages he collected from a man, identified as Funaya.

The cops were said to have been led to the scene by Funaya.

It was learnt that the policemen and Funaya stood by the roadside waiting for Chukwuedo to emerge from the farm.

Our correspondent gathered that the moment Chukwuedo, who was riding a motorcycle, surfaced, Funaya alerted the cops.

He was flagged down, but he reportedly attempted to evade arrest.

When it appeared that they might not catch up with him, Emeka reportedly opened fire, which hit him in the stomach and thigh.

A resident, who did not want his name in print, said Chukwuedo was rushed to a hospital while the trigger-happy policeman was arrested.

He said, “Sergeant Emeka is well known in Ubulu Uku community. He is a drunk and we learnt he was drunk that day when he shot Ijeh (Chukwuedo). Other policemen with him blamed him for shooting the young man. People wanted to mob him, but he was rescued. He has been taken into custody. Ijeh is admitted to the FMC, Asaba.”

Chukwuedo was said to be asleep when our correspondent demanded to speak with him on Tuesday.

However, the Coordinator of a human rights body, Behind Bars Intervention, Harrison Gwamnishu, told PUNCH Metro on the telephone that Funaya had contracted Chukwuedo to work on a farmland.

He said Funaya gave the victim N15,000 for the work, which he failed to complete as agreed.

The coordinator stated that Funaya, in company with a friend, Tochukwu, confronted Chukwuedo on Saturday and asked him to refund the money.

Gwamnishu said, “They had Iwu festival in the community on Saturday. Funaya and Tochukwu went to Chukwuedo’s house to collect the money. Chukwuedo said he would not refund the money since he had already started the work Funaya gave him and promised to complete it after the festival.

“He said Tochuwku angrily asked him to pay the money and he scolded him for meddling in a matter that did not concern him. The disagreement led to a fight.

“The following day, Funaya led some policemen to arrest Chukwuedo and they waited for him to come out of his (Chukwuedo’s) farm. As he came out from the farm on his motorcycle, they asked him to stop.

“Because that road is usually quiet and for fear of being killed, he tried to escape. One of the policemen, Sergeant Emeka, shot him. He was injured in the stomach and thigh. The other policemen took him to a hospital in the community. He was referred to the FMC, Asaba, where he underwent a surgery.”

Gwamnishu said the victim’s family had spent about N50,000 on his treatment, adding that the police only sent N10,000 as medical bill.

“They have not come to check him at the FMC. The policeman that shot him should be punished accordingly. He is a drunk and is not fit to be carrying a gun,” he added.

When contacted, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Zanna Ibrahim, said, “I have not been fully briefed. I will find out.”

Subsequent calls made to his line later went unanswered.

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A commercial tricycle rider was on Saturday morning shot dead by a yet-to-be-identified policeman in Okporu axis of Rumudara, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The commercial tricycle driver was said to be on the road at about 7.45am when residents in the state were expected to observe the state’s sanitation exercise.

It was learnt that the tricycle rider, who was rushing to deliver some bags of sachet water to an unknown destination, did not stop to the chagrin of policemen monitoring the exercise.

One of the security agents shot and killed the rider.

It was gathered that the incident angered some youths in the area, who embarked on a protest.

The angry youths were said to have tried to attack a police station in the area but were stopped by cops.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the rider was a victim of an accidental discharge.

The spokesman disclosed that the erring policeman had been disarmed and detained.

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A policeman has killed Imo Ekanem, a final year student of the Department of Mass Communication, Uyo City Polytechnic, Nduetong Oku, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, over his refusal to part with N100.

Our correspondent learnt that Ekanem was shot dead by the policeman at his hometown, Nkek, in the Ukanafun Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.

An eyewitness, Usung Simeon, told PUNCH Metro on Monday that Ekanem was killed by one of the policemen attached to the special squad the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zubairu Muazu, sent to the area to fight cultism.

According to him, the policemen stopped and searched Ekanem, who rode a motorcycle, adding that they did not find anything incriminating on him.

He added that the policemen demanded N100 from him, but his refusal to part with the money led to the policeman killing him.

Simeon said, “He was shot dead after a heated argument with one of the policemen attached to the special squad sent by the Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, to fight cult activities in our local government area.

“Because cult activities are always carried out with the use of motorcycles, the police have been conducting stop-and-search excercise on riders. So, they just stopped and subjected Ekanem to a search and nothing was found on him. But we were surprised that the police demanded a N100 bribe.

“His refusal to part with the money infuriated one of the policemen, who cocked his gun and shot him at a close range.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Chukwu Ikechukwu, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent, denied that Ekanem was killed over his refusal to give the policeman a N100 bribe.

He said the deceased tried to collect the policeman’s rifle, adding that the policeman shot and killed him in self-defence.

He said, “The matter was not a N100 issue, although we are still investigating the case.

“After our meeting today (Monday), the Commissioner of Police directed the Area Commander, Ikot Ekpene, to transfer the matter to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department in Ikot Akpanabia for a thorough investigation.”

The PPRO said no stone would be left unturned to ensure that due process was observed, while punishment would be meted out to the policeman if found culpable.

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Irate residents attempted to raze the Oke Baale Police Station in Osogbo, Osun State, on Sunday, following the killing of a popular man identified simply as Emir, by some policemen from the station.

Residents of the area gave different accounts of what led to the shooting of the victim.

Some said the policemen chased some Internet fraudsters to a playing ground in the area and there was altercation between them and some youths playing football on the field, which eventually led to the shooting of Emir.

However, other residents told our correspondent, who visited the area, that a group of thugs, led by the victim, allegedly attacked some persons on Saturday and the case was reported at the police station.

A resident, who identified himself only as Saheed, said, “I heard that he led some boys to attack some persons on Saturday and the boys sustained machete injuries.

“The case was reported to the police at the Oke Baale station. That was what prompted the police to go after him. There was an altercation at Gbeja Primary School field when policemen wanted to arrest him. He was shot in the process and was rushed to a clinic around the area.

“He was referred to the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, where he eventually died.”

He said some of the deceased’s gang members headed towards the police station when they learnt that Emir had died and made an attempt to raze the station.

Our correspondent learnt that the officers on duty called for reinforcement to prevent the youths from carrying out their mission.

It was gathered that four Armoured Personnel Carriers and armed mobile policemen were deployed in the station to forestall the arson.

Our correspondent, who visited the scene, observed that three APCs were mounted around the police station, while there were broken bottles on the ground.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mrs. Folashade Odoro, confirmed the killing of the suspect.

She said, “The suspect and his gang attacked some persons yesterday (Saturday) and the case was reported to the police. The gang was ready for the policemen, who went to arrest the culprits.

“The gang members damaged police vehicles and I was told that a driver of one of the police vans was injured. They also made an attempt to burn the Oke Bale Police Station, but normalcy has been restored.”

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The police in Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday shot a resident for allegedly picking stolen money which dropped along Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo.

Our correspondent gathered that a three-man gang had snatched the money from occupants of a government-owned car .

The gang was reportedly moving the money into a getaway vehicle seized from a female motorist, when some of the cash fell on the road.

A witness, Mr. Joe Inyang, said, “The people who owned the money were in a Toyota Camry with a government number plate, AK 705 C01. They appeared to be coming from one of the new generation banks, where they withdrew the huge amount.

“As their driver was going through Paul Bassey Street, he noticed the robbers, who were in a Toyota Corolla. They were on his trail.

“As he tried to link Brooks Street, he rammed the vehicle into an oncoming Toyota Camry. It was then that the robbers blocked access to the government car.

“At that point, the robbers seized the vehicle and started shooting continously into the air. They shattered the boot and doors of the car with bullets to get access to the money, which was in Ghana-Must-Go bags.

“It was in the process of moving the money into another vehicle they seized from a woman that some residents scrambled for the fallen cash. The man the police shot rushed out of his office to pick the cash which littered the road.”

The woman whose car was used as a getaway by the robbers; the man who sustained gunshot injuries; and the driver and other occupants of the government vehicle, were seen by our correspondent at the ‘A Division’ of the state police command on Wednesday.

A resident, who did not want his name in print, told PUNCH Metro that the robbery could not have occurred without the involvement of people in government or the bank, adding that the money could not be less than N50m.

The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Mu’azu Zubairu, did not answer calls that were put across to his telephone. He did not also respond to a text message sent to his line.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chukwu Ikechukwu, when contacted, said he was not in the state.

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